Improvement in wire-stretchers



w. z. DAFOE.

WIRE-STRETCI-IER.

Patented July 3,1877.

No.19Z,57Z.

In wen Z01:

VV'ihz ess es.-

N. PETERS, PNDTU-LITHOGRAPNER, waSHINGTON, D a

aton.

WILLIAM z. DAFOE, OF SYCAMORE, ILL., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT r0oHARLES W. MARSH AND WILLIAM W. MARSH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WlRE-STRETCHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 192,572, dated July 3,1877 application filed J une 22, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WM. Z. DAFOE, ofSycamore, county of De Kalb and State of Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Wire-Tighteiier; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which.will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to' makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, andto the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

The object of this invention is to provide a device which can be appliedto fencewires, for the purpose of tightening or straining them, eitherin repairing old fences or consiructing new; and its nature consists inproviding a hook which will grasp and hold the wire without coiling orbending it around such hook; in connecting the hook to a windlass by arope, so that the unstrained portion of the wire will be left free; andin the arrangement of the Windlass in a frame provided with a hook, sothat such frame can be hooked to a fencepost of any form, and in anyposition on the post.

The figure is a plan view, and A represents the hook, which is providedwith a shoulder or projection, a, and its interior is so formed that itapproaches a sharp angle, b. B represents the rope; B, the Windlass; O,the ratchet-wheel; D, crank; E, frame; E, framehook; and F, pawl. I

The hook A is made of steel, and has its upper and lower faces flat, soas to present sharp edges at the angles b. The frame E is made ofwrought-iron, and the hook E is most conveniently made by curving aportion of the frame, as shown but it may, however, be made of aseparate piece, and pivoted to the frame E. The Windlass B is mostconveniently made of cast-iron, but it may, if desired, be made partlyof wood; and it is provided, at the outside of the frame, with awinding-crank and an ordinary ratchet-wheel and pawl, as shown.

tion is left free for fastening to a post, or for attaching additionallengths of wire, instead of being wound onto the Windlass, as hasheretofore been practiced.

The frame E is attached to a post represented at G, when the Windlass isready to be wound, and when wound the ratchet holds the wire taut untilthe staples are driven into the posts, or the wire otherwise fastened,and in this position, if desired, the free end may also be attached tothe post supporting the tighteners.

This operation is greatly facilitated by using a rope for winding uponthe Windlass, instead of using the wire. Whenever greater power isdesired the rope B may be doubled, and have one of its ends tied to theframe, and the other in position to be wound upon the Windlass. In thiscase the hook will be attached to the rope by a sheave or smallpulley-block.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The hook A, having the angleor projection a, and the opening having asharp angle, b, for holding the wire without winding or bending,substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the hook A and rope B with the Windlass B, as andfor the purpose described.

3. The combination of the frame E, having a hook, F, with the WindlassB, provided with a crank and ratchetwheel and pawl, rope B, and hook A,all constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

WILLIAM Z. DAFOE.

Witnesses:

SRURARL T. ARMSTRONG, E. E. ARMSTRONG.

